Tag: 2015

  • David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on ensuring that policy and border staff share information on the illegal wildlife trade with Interpol, Europol and World Customs Organisation.

    James Brokenshire

    Border Force are in regular contact with all the Organisations listed and regularly use their systems to communicate and share Intelligence on IWT to the global community .They are also represented on the EU Enforcement Working group that covers the Illegal wildlife trade.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Government’s spending on infrastructure since 2010.

    Greg Hands

    In 2010, the government launched the Infrastructure Cost Review seeking to improve the cost effective delivery of infrastructure projects and programmes. In 2014, the Cost Review reported savings of around 15% – worth around £3billion per annum – by addressing a number of drivers of high costs. But more can and is being done, working closely with infrastructure clients from public and private sectors to continue to bear down on costs and improve delivery performance.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, following the report on Yemen of the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs published on 18 August 2015, what consideration she has given to providing additional humanitarian support to that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    On 27 September 2015, the UK committed an additional £20 million in new life-saving aid to Yemen. This followed the publication of the UN report and other assessments of need that demonstrated the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

    This new funding is to key partner agencies operating on the ground including the World Food Programme, UNICEF and NGOs via UN OCHA’s (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund. DFID’s overall contribution of humanitarian assistance to Yemen for 2015-16 is now £75 million, making the UK the 4th largest donor to the international humanitarian response.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of public appointments filled by women.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments and​ has aspiration that 50% of new public appointees should be women. We are making ​good ​progress, with 44% of new appointments made to women in 2014-2015 and a higher proportion of all public appointments (new appointments and reappointments) went to women last year than at any other point since records began.

    The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media and engaging with ​different ​diversity networks​ and groups.

  • David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to pay a daily rate or fee to members of the review committee he has proposed on securing the decisive role of the Commons on financial matters and secondary legislation; and what rate he plans to set for that work.

    John Penrose

    The Government has asked Lord Strathclyde to lead a review to examine how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to (i) its primacy on financial matters; and (ii) secondary legislation. Lord Strathclyde will be supported by a panel of experts and further details will be announced in due course.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department plans to reduce the share of lottery ticket income allocated to the Big Lottery Fund budget.

    Tracey Crouch

    As set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn statement this week, there are no plans to reduce the Big Lottery Fund’s budget. The Fund will continue to receive 40% of National Lottery good cause money. Sport, Arts and Heritage will also continue to receive 20% each.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of safety measures used on the road network to protect road maintenance workers.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport and Highways England are working closely with the Highways Maintenance Term Association and the wider construction sector on safety initiatives to ensure the safety and protection of operatives working on the highway network in England.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times explosive ordinance officers were deployed to deal with incidents in Northern Ireland between 1 January 2015 and 1 July 2015.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor, the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois) on 27 February 2015 to Question 225158. The Report of the Independent Reviewer of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 which contains the requested information is published annually. The next report will be published in January 2016.

  • Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people resident in Bristol South constituency whose employment was terminated through ill health in each year from 2005 to 2014.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on beak trimming of laying hens.

    George Eustice

    Since 2010, the use of a hot blade to routinely beak trim laying hens has been banned in the UK. In order to prevent injurious feather pecking, use of infra-red technology only is permitted on day old chicks. The Government established the Beak Trimming Action Group (BTAG), comprising representatives from industry, welfare groups, retailers, Defra, scientific and veterinary professions to look at ways birds might be managed so that even infra-red beak trimming would no longer be necessary. Having reviewed all the available evidence, BTAG has now submitted its recommendations, and the report will be placed in the House Library. I have accepted all of the Group’s recommendations.

    The Group advised that the risks of introducing a ban on infra-red beak trimming are too great. It could result in outbreaks of severe feather pecking and having to employ emergency beak trimming using the hot blade method, which is a far worse outcome from an animal welfare perspective. However, the BTAG report also identified improved management techniques that could reduce feather pecking. The Government expects to see these techniques introduced across the laying hen sector.